*Blunt noses of these bullets make them suitable for use in a tubular magazine.
Notes: These Loads are Maximum and powder charges should be reduced by 10 percent for starting loads. Velocities shown represent five or more rounds clocked 12 feet from the muzzle of a Marlin Model 1894CL with 20-inch barrel (lever action rifle loads) and a Sako L46 with 24-inch barrel. Winchester cases and CCI 400 primers were used in all loads. WARNING The loads shown here are safe only in the guns for which they were developed. Neither the author nor InterMedia Outdoors assumes any liability for accidents or injury resulting from the use or misuse of this data. Shooting reloads may void any warranty on your firearm.
Best choices in pointed bullets for use in bolt actions and single-shots are those weighing from 30 to 45 grains from Berger, Nosler, Sierra, Speer and Hornady. I am especially fond of the 30-grain Berger hollowpoint and the 40-grain BlitzKing, Ballistic Tip and V-Max bullets in this cartridge.
Bullets heavier than 45 grains can be used, but most rifles in .218 Bee have barrels with a rifling twist rate of 1:16 inches, which can be too slow to stabilize them in flight.
It saddens me to say this, but the future of the .218 Bee is looking less than bright. Remington dropped it from production several years ago, and Winchester makes only an occasional production run of ammo and unprimed cases.
If ammo and case production should cease, you’ll have to neck down .25-20 or .32-20 cases. The .25-20 can be squeezed down to .22 caliber in one step with a .218 Bee full-length resizing die, but the .32-20 requires an extra form die available from Redding. Attempting to neck it down in one step usually results in a collapsed case.
Here’s hoping the .218 Bee will continue to buzz over the varmint fields for many years to come.
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